1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a heating rack and in particular, although not exclusively, to a heating rack for heating and cooking food. The invention has particular relevance to the cooking of fatty foods over naked flames such as in use of barbecues.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is to be understood that the present invention is not confined to a heating rack for a barbecue and may be applied to, for example, cooking ovens or grills and industrial ovens. Where the context permits, the present invention may be used in the heating of other objects where heating an object results in the melting or exuding of at least a part of the object.
One of the main problems with cooking fatty foods such as sausages, meats kebabs, beef burgers and the like over charcoal or gas heated synthetic charcoal or coals, is that the fat runs down and drips onto the heated coals and ignites. This causes flames to rise and overcook or burn the food being cooked, and a resulting flare-up may cause personal danger to the user.
There have been a number of attempts, some very complex, to prevent the fat from igniting. For example in U.S. Pat. No. 5,105,725, there is shown a grill having a grid element. The grid element comprises a base element and upstanding ribs. Openings are provided.
One problem associated with the prior art is that those solutions have resulted in a reduction of direct heat radiation from the heat source. That is undesirable because it reduces the cooking efficiency.
In the specification of our co-pending International Patent Application No. PCT/GB 03/004807 we have described and claimed a heating rack comprising a plurality of elongate members, each elongate member having a contact surface on which an object to be heated is placed to be exposed to a heat source and a first lateral portion shaped to form a channel disposed below the contact surface for receiving and directing exudate from the object to a collection zone at one or both ends of the channel, each said elongate member being spaced from an adjacent elongate member to expose the object directly to the heat source when placed at any position along the contact surface.